Clement had all 15 of his carries over the final two games of a lost season for the Cardinals, hitting pay dirt on a 1-yard plunge in Week 18. He wasn't all that productive, averaging less than 3.0 yards per carry in three of his four games played for Houston. Dillon has gone from expected power complement to Jones to a well-rounded back in his own right. Beyond being dynamos in the rushing attack, the most talented players at the position are also key contributors as receivers and pass blockers. Briana McDonald. McCaffrey was everything and then some for the 49ers after arriving in mid-October via trade. 1 spot? Hall isn't . Though he averaged only five carries per game this season, Edmonds posted nearly 2 yards more per tote in Denver. . Fournette has reinvented himself in the transition from Jacksonville to Tampa Bay. Superstar quarterbacks undoubtedly headline the AFC Championship Game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs, but Maurice Jones-Drew explains why the running backs will actually decide who wins. 2022 stats:17 games | 129 att | 481 rush yds | 3.7 ypc | 1 rush TD | 50 rec | 290 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 3 fumbles lost. See the full pecking order. Jones is now sharing plenty with powerful A.J. As the Bucs prepare for this year's training camp, we're taking an in . The result was a career-low 63.2 PFF grade and his lowest output as a receiver (47 receptions for 439 yards) in five NFL seasons. Like Montgomery, Singletary is difficult to bring down. Darrell Henderson has had back-to-back 600-yard seasons. Injuries have kept Barkley from being able to build on that impressive rookie campaign, as hes missed time in each of the three seasons and has played through injury for the majority of his time on the field. With some help from Michael Thomas and others to take pressure off him in the passing game again, he should see some familiar favorable running lanes. What is especially intriguing about Williams this week against the Seattle Seahawks is that the NFC West franchise allows the second-most receiving yards to running backs in 2022. Conner has been a great power running fit with his size and quickness in Kliff Kingsbury's offense, playing well off Kyler Murray. 2022 stats:17 games | 42 att | 123 rush yds | 2.9 ypc | 1 rush TD | 20 rec | 104 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. , but his PFF grading profile isnt nearly as impressive. Like McCaffrey, Barkley's early career boom has been derailed by injury woes, but he also never reached the same level of all-purpose dominance. Including the postseason, Elliott has carried the ball a league-high 1,730 times since he was drafted in 2016. The Commanders have their new play caller in former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and they are wasting no time in allowing the new assistant head coach and offensive coordinator to explore some options for his new staff.Stanford quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard and Chiefs running backs coach Greg Lewis both visited Washington today for potential roles on Bieniemy's new . There is promise for Walker, a rookie this season, but with the uncertainty of Carson and only Pennys flash late last season, Seattle cant be any higher than the bottom right now. I want to make it clear that if Carson is healthy and Penny even is close to how he played to finish last season, they have the best running back room in the division by far. March 5, 2022 11:14 am ET. Sanders was an interesting case this season. Stop A.J. By Dallas Robinson December 17, 2022 Jump Around This Article Click to show Colts won 27-17. He put out plenty of positive tape to build on in Year 2. Weekly Play Three different views are below. Edmonds' midseason move from Miami to Denver was beneficial for the fifth-year back. Colts won 27-17. 2022 stats:16 game | 181 att | 891 rush yds | 4.9 ypc | 3 rush TDs | 31 rec | 202 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 1 fumble lost. The 49ers get a big stop by dropping Sony . In the early stages of the offseason, Miami has. That's the big question, but the Rams have confidence that he can deliver effective lead rushing production with the right dash of receiving pop. 2021 stats:258 carries, 1,037 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry, 42 receptions on 52 targets, 294 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. He was hands down the best overall back in the NFL this year. Pennys career has been inconsistent and injury-filled. Without McDaniels, Harris' role shouldn't change much in a run-heavy attack, even if Rhamondre Stevenson cuts more into the overall backfield work. Freeman was elevated from the practice squad after Pierce's injury. 2022 stats:8 games | 92 att | 520 rush yds | 5.7 ypc | 2 rush TDs | 7 rec | 42 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost. And just like that, the 49ers are first place in the NFC West after beating the Cardinals in Mexico City. Penny averages a robust 5.7 yards a pop in his career, but he's yet to play a full regular-season slate in five seasons. Thats not something any defensive back wants to see in the open field. 95. Gibson was disappointing as he didn't deliver as the complete big back in Year 2 while playing through some injury and fumbling issues. He had three games where he averaged more than 6.0 yards per carry, but posted a ypa mark below 3.5 in 11 other contests. GridironExperts.com 2022 Fantasy Football Rankings. Dobbins also saw his entire 2021 season wiped out by a torn ACL ahead of what felt like a potential big Year 2. 1. McCaffrey earned an 86.5 PFF grade in 2019 third among qualifying running backs on over 1,000 snaps. Cook just needs to come through with full health for his Age-27 season. 2021 stats: 217 carries, 872 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry, 54 receptions on 64 targets, 348 receiving yards, 9 total TDs. Akers' 2022 campaign was a mixed bag, to say the least. February 28, 2023 2:00 pm ET. It was telling when a seventh-round rookie (Isiah Pacheco) took over as the starter seven weeks into the season. Unable to play in the Dolphins' postseason game due to a broken thumb, though, Mostert's injuries continue to prevent him from reaching his full potential. Ekelers value lies in his ability to be a legitimate value addition as a receiver while not profiling as only a receiver out of the backfield. Carter will likely occupy a complementary role behind Hall in 2023. He was productive in his return to the field, averaging 5.0 yards per carry -- a mark he's at least matched in every NFL campaign. His best outing came in Week 15 against the Chiefs, when he ran for 51 yards on 11 carries (4.6 yards a pop). He continued to be a special teamer until the end of the season. Relocating from San Francisco to Miami alongside Mike McDaniel, Mostert eclipsed 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time in his career. Benjamin has been the talk of the offseason for the team. Only three of the 30 running backs who had at least 150 regular season carries last year were in their seventh season or higher: . He almost never left the field and was integral to everything Carolina did on offense, ranking eighth in the league in rushing conversions (56) and ninth in receiving conversions (58) across playe. You have to give offensive coordinator Ben Johnson credit for feeding Williams the rock at the goal line. 2022 stats:11 games | 110 att | 425 rush yds | 3.9 ypc | 3 rush TDs | 11 rec | 51 rec yds | 2 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram II (14) runs past Tampa . While Hubbard had more carries in the second half of the season -- and even ran for 125 yards on 12 carries (10.4 ypa) in the Week 16 demolition of Detroit -- he was outperformed by backfield mate D'Onta Foreman. He needs a jolt in the passing game with more durability in the running game to re-establish himself as a lead, stat. McCaffrey, now 26, had to be faded on this list given he's played only 10 games over the past two seasons following his transcendent 2019 production. He also expanded his game in Year 2 as a reliable pass catcher. The 2022 NFL season is now in the rearview mirror after the Chiefs celebrated another Super Bowl following a 38-35 win over the Eagles in Glendale, Arizona. Eight running backs got carries for the Saints in 2022, with Ingram posting the second-most attempts and rushing yards behind Alvin Kamara. San Francisco just used a third-round pick on Davis-Price (RB69 ADP), and his value will skyrocket if anything happens . An Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist, Walker took advantage of his opportunities after Rashaad Penny sustained a season-ending injury in Week 5. 2020 stats: 134carries, 805 rushing yards, 6.0 yards per carry, 18 receptions on 24 targets, 120 receiving yards, 9 total TDs. All-Andy Reid Team: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, Hall of Famer Terrell Owens headline stacked offense, NFL's five most overperforming/underperforming units of 2022 season: Geno Smith, Seahawks soared, Daniel Jeremiah's top 50: 2023 NFL Draft prospect rankings 1.0, Eric Edholm 2023 NFL mock draft 1.0: Four QBs selected in top 10; Bills, Eagles add running back, 2023 NFL Draft order: 29 of 31 first-round picks locked in; Saints hold 29th selection via Sean Payton deal. Three different running backs have recorded at least 75 conversions first downs and touchdowns as a rusher and receiver over the last three seasons: Ekeler, McCaffrey and Kamara. In the shadows of Ezekiel Elliott during his first three seasons, Pollard joined the 1,000-yard rushing club and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time. Lost in all the noise and hype surrounding the quarterback and wide receiver position is running back. Giants: Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida. er out of the backfield. Conner showcased that he has a legitimate, three-down skill set in his first season with the Cardinals. Pace started his collegiate career at Miami OH after a great high school career in Cincinnati as both a running back and linebacker. He should be in for a big Year 2 to put an offense in transition on his back. Meanwhile, Henry is set to enter his seventh season while coming off a foot injury and multiple years with a heavy workload. 2022 stats:17 games | 302 att | 1,525 rush yds | 5.0 ypc | 12 rush TDs | 27 rec | 239 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 1 fumble lost. Wilson split time in San Francisco and Miami after a midseason trade. Cook missed time in 2021 due to ankle and shoulder injuries. Kelley is a great complement to elusive playmaker Austin Ekeler, seeing how the third-year pro excels as a physical downhill runner for the Chargers. None of these three start or carry the majority of the workload for their respective teams, but theyve been among the most productive running backs in the NFL when they have found the field. He made one start at running back (Week 7), but earned his keep on special teams, notching this impressive 66-yard kickoff return. Williams shared the load early with Melvin Gordon before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Plus, how far did Josh Jacobs climb in MJD's top 15 RB rankings after a huge performance last week? Harris falls into the uber efficient in a limited role category after earning 85.0-plus PFF grades in each of the last two seasons on between 250 and 450 offensive snaps. The Raiders declined Jacobs' fifth-year option and then proceeded to give him the rock for a whopping 340 carries this season. That represents a noticeable shift from 2006 the first season that PFF began collecting NFL data. 1 back in Arizona. Hell look to turn that around in 2022. The Titans once again leaned heavily on Henry, who led the league in rush attempts and finished second in rush yards and touchdowns. The sixth-round rookie received a majority of his carries in four December games. 1 on this list and he should be headed to his biggest all-around season yet with his expanded role in a Kevin O'Connell offensive scheme tailored to his rushing and receiving strengths. The 2022 Broncos' offense underwhelmed in a major way. Add in the increased role that Jones has filled in the passing game for the Packers, and hes right on the border of the elite tier at the position. Swift still has all of the traits to become a top-tier running back, but he needs better health luck. 7m; The result: The NFL has a brand new rushing champ. Conner was a beast and will (most probably) remain so in 2022, but to a lesser extent if we bake some (realistic) regression back to the mean into . 2021 stats (at Iowa State):253 carries, 1,472 rushing yards, 5.8 yards per carry, 36 receptions, 302 receiving yards, 23 total TDs. The NFC West has been known in the past for great running backs. San Franciscos Elijah Mitchell is the best back in the division entering the season, but Williams is more accomplished and steady than Jeff Wilson. 2022 stats:13 games | 37 att | 152 rush yds | 4.1 ypc | 0 rush TDs | 7 rec | 40 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. Fournette, who battled a foot injury in the second half of the season, failed to recreate the magic he brought to the Bucs' offense in each of the previous two years. He set career highs in carries, rush yards and total touchdowns in 2022 -- and he once again averaged 5-plus yards per run, something he has done in each of his five NFL campaigns. 2022 stats:15 games | 25 att | 93 rush yds | 3.7 ypc | 0 rush TDs | 11 rec | 57 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 0 fumbles lost. First-year head coach Kevin OConnell and the rest of the Vikings coaching staff just have to hope that Cook can remain at full strength throughout the 2022 season. Now he's still in recovery mode in a much more crowded backfield and his receiving aspect is set to be curbed. Second, he hasn't build on being a top-flight receiving back at LSU, which what he was expected to do in the Chiefs' pass-first offense. A lot of focus gets placed on how running backs perform after contact, but Jones has consistently ranked among the top backs in the league in yards before contact per attempt thanks to efforts like this. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. That's the lowest in the league, eight fewer than the New York Giants have faced. Carson was one of the leagues best backs but he has not yet been able to fully recover from a neck injury. 2022 stats:12 games | 109 att | 482 rush yds | 4.4 ypc | 4 rush TDs | 17 rec | 89 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost. With Kareem Hunt likely gone, Ford will get an opportunity to win Cleveland's backup running back job behind Pro Bowler Nick Chubb in 2023. It is worth noting that while Ekeler enjoyed the highest PFF rushing grade of his career in 2021 (79.9), he did fall below 80.0 in PFF receiving grade for the first time in his career (62.6). 2021 stats: 180 carries, 812 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 69 receptions on 84 targets, 454 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. 2022 stats:17 games | 210 att | 1,040 rush yds | 5.0 ypc | 5 rush TDs | 69 rec | 421 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 1 fumble lost. He's been a reliable ball carrier since his arrival in 2020, averaging 4.3 yards per carry for his career. A fine all-around RB2, Perine's now set to hit free agency at age 27. Hes been the most valuable running back in the league according to PFFs wins above replacement (. He is smart and. Among the 2023 free agent class, Josh Jacobs is arguably the best running back available from a fantasy football perspective. He doesn't offer much as a receiver but he gets the yards that are there with good burst. The 2022 season saw the focal point of the Bears' rushing attack pivot from Montgomery to dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields, who had a team-high 1,143 rush yards. Barkley hasn't had much support from blocking and the passing game, but he's still looked limited and worn at times. 35 carries). The Jaguars put together one of the most impressive turnarounds in 2022, and this second-year running back was a big part of that. 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